Summary
Recently, atTokyo Game Show, I had the chance to go hands-on with Neople’sThe First Berserker: Khazan, the latest game in theDungeon & Fighteruniverse.
The game is repeatedly described as ‘hardcore’ in its various marketing materials, something which I certainly felt playing the game. However,while I found the game bore striking similarities to those in the Soulslike genre, the game’s creative director, Junho Lee,told me that Khazan wants to be more than just another Souls imitator.
“Are FromSoftware Games The Biggest Inspiration? We Probably Say No”
During an interview with TheGamer, I asked Lee whether FromSoftware’s titles were the biggest source of inspiration for The First Berserker, because that’s definitely how I felt.
“I guess that’s the way a player can actually feel [that it’s very Soulslike], especially for the very first session of the game. But at the same time, are the FromSoftware games the biggest inspiration? We probably say no,” Lee said. Instead, he attributed the Dungeon & Fighter universe as the game’s core muse.
You’ll start to feel that the game shifts in genre and style, and really see the differentiating elements from the other Soulslike games.
Lee admits that there are similarities with the Souls games, especially in the early sections of his title; however, he says that later on in Khazan, things shift. “As you progress in the game, in the very later game, you’ve got different content in place like gear builds, item builds, and skill trees, as well as different ways to develop the game and develop the players,” he tells me, adding, “You’ll start to feel that the game shifts in genre and style, and really see the differentiating elements from the other Soulslike games.”
Khazan’s art director, Kychul Lee, also feels that the game’s stylistic approach makes it stand out against its competitors, saying, “Instead of the typical photorealistic graphic approach that a lot of 3D games take these days, we’ve gone for the cartoon rendering graphic because it’s more evocative. People can look at that and connect to the game even better because it’s more evocative, it’s more emotional.”
Lee’s comments about The First Berserker: Khazan are similar to those made by thePhantom Blade Zeroteam. S-Games has also sought to distance itself from FromSoftware’s titles, telling TheGamer, “We are not making another Soulslike game.”
The First Berserker: Khazan
WHERE TO PLAY
The First Berserker: Khazan is a hardcore action role-playing game. The player will become Khazan, the great general of the Pell Los Empire, who overcame death, and sets out to reveal the incidents that led to his downfall and seek vengeance on his enemies.
